GuideProcess

The auction hearing step by step: bidding time, lowest bid, award

By Pascal Szorath··3 min read·

ZVG Melder explains how an auction hearing runs: the call, the lowest admissible bid, at least 30 minutes of bidding time, the ID requirement – and why the award grants ownership at once.

The first auction hearing of your own often feels intimidating. Yet it follows a clear sequence. Here are the key stages – for an overview of the whole procedure, see our beginner's guide.

Only go into the hearing once the property check, financing and security deposit are settled. For a quick shortlist, it pays to take a look at the risk classes beforehand, so that you do not discover striking appraisals only in the courtroom.

Before bidding: ID and security

At the hearing you must identify yourself with a valid identity card or passport (this is not in the ZVG, but it is established practice for identification). You must also be able to prove your security deposit. Anyone bidding for others needs a publicly certified bidding authorisation.

The call and the lowest admissible bid

The court officer calls the case and announces the auction conditions as well as the lowest admissible bid. The lowest admissible bid covers the procedural costs and the rights that remain in place under the conditions (§ 44 ZVG). No award is made below it.

The bidding time: at least 30 minutes

Only then does the actual bidding time begin. It lasts at least 30 minutes (§ 73 para. 1 ZVG). This is a minimum: as long as bids keep coming in, the auction continues. Falling short of it would be a serious procedural error – even if all parties agree. So you do not have to bid straight away; often the decision comes only towards the end.

Mind the value thresholds

Whether the highest bid ultimately receives the award depends, in the first hearing, on the value thresholds: below 50 % it is refused ex officio, 50–70 % can be overturned on a creditor's application, from 70 % the award is secure. Details on this in the guide to the 5/10 and 7/10 thresholds.

The award (Zuschlag): owner at once

If the award is granted, you become the owner the moment it is pronounced (§§ 89, 90 ZVG) – without a notary and without first needing a land register entry. The land register is later corrected ex officio. No notary or estate agent fees apply. What comes next – payment, interest, taxes and risks – is covered in the guide After the award.

In brief

  1. Bring ID + proof of security (a certified authorisation if applicable).
  2. Wait for the lowest admissible bid, at least 30 min of bidding time – no panic bidding needed.
  3. Award = ownership at once, no notary or estate agent fees.

Note: General orientation, not legal advice. The court's official notice is what counts.

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